Turntable Mat question

Hey Uber,

I had the Mitchell clamp with the Kenwood KD-500 and the Platter Pad. I put a thin quarter sized washer under the record and cut out a Mitchell clamp sized in diameter piece of 2 mm thick plastic from a larger piece of Tupperware bottom that was flat, so the plastic was a little thicker. I traced the Mitchell clamp onto the Tupperware. I then found a smaller round object that was about I" less in diameter than the clamp and traced the outside of it so it fit perfectly inside the other circle. Both of these circles were then cut out carefully. I then glued the piece of round plastic to the Mitchell clamp and now had a very respectable version of the Sota clamp on the cheap. It clamped every record in my collection. You had to push the clamp down with one hand pretty securely while tightening the knob with the other hand.

It even looked fine, too. Never had the plastic fall off in over 15 years of ownership. It was not a PITA to do on each record and worked great.

Bob

@fatboyriding No issues with the weight of the slate platter. You sure it's not 'drying out' the music? 

I don't use clamps, i use record weight on top of the CU-180 copper mat or SAEC SS-300 alloy mat,  and let me vote for Micro Seiki again, because it's just a pure beauty - ST-10 Disc Stabilizer. 

I agree with Chakster 100%.  The Micro CU-180 is the best I've used.  I have tried numerous: leather, cork, felt, graphite, thick rubber, etc. and the CU-180 was clearly the best from the first.  They are expensive and difficult to find, but worth it for sure.  Make sure it's flat.  I have a Technics SP10 and the fit is lovely!

Ok. I ordered the Hudson Valley acrylic mat and the Herbie’s Way Excellent II mat. The Hudson mat has the small depression to the label. But it extends all the way to the record edge and doesn’t allow for the extra thickness of the lead in edge. Plus to me, others will differ, there is not much science to this “mat”. It’s a sheet of acrylic.
As for the Herbie’s Way Excellent II mat. It is made of a very nice silicone that adheres to my VPI platter. It has the central depression for the record label and it does not extend all the way to the record edge thereby accommodating for the thicker record lead in edge. To me, there is more though behind this mat with more isolation and accommodation for your record to keep it flat. Together with my VPI signature clamp and Wayne’s outer ring, I know my vinyl is flat and isolated with the Herbie’s mat underneath. This one is a keeper. 
The Hudson acrylic mat is being returned to Amazon tomorrow.